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Insulin and Diabetes Management

Insulin Injection

Insulin must be injected into the body on a regular daily basis. It cannot be taken orally because it is destroyed by the digestive system before it can be utilized. The necessity of injection has led to the development of specialty syringes and other delivery devices designed to improve the ease and convenience of daily injections. Before the introduction of disposable syringes in the 1960s, reusable needles had to be regularly sterilized and sharpened. Insulin pens, designed to be discreet and portable, appeared in the 1980s. The latest devices are insulin pumps which allow for continuous control of insulin levels but are also very expensive.

Instructions for Injecting Insulin, from A Diabetic Manual for the Mutual Use of Doctor and Patient, by Elliott P. Joslin, M.D. 1941.